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20100511

Boers irate about latest land-theft plan

“To expect farmers to transfer 40 percent of their agricultural interest to “black shareholders’ is outrageous and totally unacceptable. “ This was the reaction of TAU SA president Ben Marais, on the proposals by Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Petterson.

"TAU is absolutely appalled by this announcement. We have been experiencing difficulty for some time to meet with the Minister to discuss agricultural issues. Meetings were postponed and in the last case, she did not even bother to give notice that she would not be available. Following this announcement we got the impression that she cannot meet with us eye to eye because she knows what our reaction would be on this unacceptable and ridiculous plan, "said Mr. Marais.

"The Minister wants to accuse the farmers that they are responsible for not making it possible to ‘transfer 30% of the land to black people, because they apply the willing buyer / willing seller principle’.

Most of the land is already owned by the State and by people of colour:

“In the meantime a demographic study for the Development Bank tabled in 2001 indicates that the State, together with black people, brown people and Asians already own more than 56% of land in South Africa.”

Yet still more (white-owned commercial) land is targeted and it seems as if this is being done in a manner which will boil town to next to nothing compensation. This was and is unacceptable to farmers. Of course, farmers will then depend on the free market system to acquire proper compensation for their land.

90% of all land-reform projects have already failed…

“TAU SA suspects that the government could not find skilled black farmers to settle on the land. In terms of government’s own statements approximately ninety percent of the land reform projects failed.

"Would the Minister like to see a failure of 30% of all agricultural land? Without discussing with agriculture or farmers she announces the outrageous idea that farmers must hand over forty percent of their business. Will market-related prices for the shares will be considered? Or is it the intention that the shares to be transferred will also free or next to nothing? It will be as unacceptable as unilateral expropriation, "said Mr. Marais.

"The minister has apparently stated that the farmers will have a choice: “to work or to stick it out”, Mr Marais said: “She can take note: TAU SA on behalf of its members will oppose this in the national interest, because the minister's plan is a blueprint for the destruction of food security. This experiment will be as much a failure as the last, "said Mr. Marais. http://www.tlu.co.za

The term "genocide" was coined by legal scholar Raphael Lemkin in 1943, writing:

'Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actionsaiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves.

The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of personal security, liberty, health, dignity and lives of the members of such groups... '